Traditional European-style workbenches are considered to be one of the most coveted items by experienced woodworkers. These large workbenches have a solid hardwood construction and large tool wells, as well as their most identifiable feature, large integrated vises. One of the vises usually integrated into these workbenches is a tail vise, which is a special end vise used to accommodate most any woodworking project. As a result, numerous variations on workbench vises have been introduced into the market to aid woodworkers.
A number of patents have issued related to tail vises and the like. U.S. Pat. No. 4,235,429 discloses a self-contained vise and support assembly including two jaw members urged together by screw or other appropriate devices to clamp a desired work piece there between. The jaw members comprise one member rigidly fixed to the vise base and one movable member pivotably mounted upon the vise body capable of freely changing position and orientation relative to the fixed jaw member in order to accommodate a multitude of different work pieces. The vise itself is supported by a support assembly permitting free movement and adjustment about a plurality of axes. The support assembly possesses the capability of being mounted or affixed to a large number of existing work tables or surfaces for greater versatility of use.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,170,814 discloses a method for attaching a jaw to a vise-like workholding apparatus. The method includes placing the jaw member onto a support member of the workholding apparatus in a first direction that is perpendicular to a worksurface of the workholding apparatus. The jaw member is placed such that at least a portion of the support member is received within a cavity in the jaw member in a first released position. The method also includes applying a first axial force in a first axial direction to the jaw member to cause the jaw member to move axially in the first axial direction to a second position wherein it is retained on the support member.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,032,938 discloses a carver's vise for holding a workpiece to be carved includes a base mounted to a workbench, a clamp mechanism, a mounting plate, and a mounting plate shaft clamped to a base connector by the clamp mechanism. The base includes an angled portion that extends upwardly from a rear of the base to a point near the front of the base closer to the user. The clamp mechanism includes a clamp head holding the mounting plate shaft against the base connector, a clamp shaft located in a bore of the base connector, and a handle that tightens or releases the clamp from the base connector. When the handle releases the clamp head, the mounting plate is free to rotate about the clamp shaft. Grooves in the base connector and an O-ring allow the mounting plate to rotate in discrete angular increments. The mounting plate may also rotate about the clamp shaft and move back and forth through the clamp head.
U.S. Published Patent Application discloses a workbench which includes a frame, a bench surface on the frame with the bench surface including at least two members, one of which is movable along the frame for clamping a workpiece between the members. A mechanism for moving the member includes two screws coupled with the members. The two screws are spaced with the member for moving the member upon rotation of the screws. A sprocket is coupled with each of the screws. A transmission belt or chain is coupled with the sprockets. At least one handle is coupled with one of the screws to rotate the screws. At least one clutch is coupled with the at least one screw to limit clamping pressure on the workpiece. The clutch enables rotation of one screw with respect to the other screw so that workpieces may be clamped between the members and clamping of the workpiece may be accomplished by rotation of the screws with one hand of the operator. Also, a guard may be present which covers the transmission belt or chain. The handle may include a hub, a straight portion, and curved portion extending from the straight portion. A knob extends from the curved portion.
U.S. Published Patent Application 20020050673 discloses vise jaw plates and matching work piece holders cooperate to reliably secure an odd-shaped object in a preferred orientation between the plates. At least one of a plurality of work piece holders are disposed throughout the jaw in an orthogonal pattern with the plate holes precisely aligned in rows and columns and spaced apart a same distance such that a selected work piece holder with one or more mount posts matching the jaw holes is mountable equally well throughout the plate.
There is a need however, for a tail vise that can be more securely fastened to and cleanly integrated into a workbench, and one which will have a greater surface area between screw and thread.